It's Back!

Hamilton-Lauraville Tuesday Market: Been there yet?

I can't believe that I have yet to make it to the Hamilton-Lauraville Tuesday Market, but it's that "Tuesday" part that makes it tough for me. I'm a big fan of the Waverly Market on Saturdays and the one under 83 on Sundays. School nights are not good for going anywhere.

I am hoping this may be the week, though. (Especially after seeing "Julie & Julia"on Sunday!)

Here's a description from the Harbel Calendar:

"Come enjoy the craft, flower, and food vendors at this community based farmers market. Two of the vendors providing fresh local meat, fruits, and vegetables are:

Ferguson Family Farm – located in Baltimore County, MD offering naturally raised Berkshire pork using sustainable agricultural practices, such as rotating pastures and not using growth hormones or antibiotics.

Tuckey’s Mountain Grown Berries, Fruits and Vegetables - from just 15 miles north west of historic Gettysburg, PA, offering a full line of berries, fruits, vegetables, cut flowers, jams and jellies and fresh fruit pies."

Have you been there yet? What are your thoughts?

photo from a great blog: Hamilton Crop Circle

Green Post: Farmers' Market at the White House?

We try to stay out of politics here (most of the time), so please don't pile on this as a political post. This is for all the gardeners out there, and for anyone who is concerned about food -- sustainability, diet, farmers, the whole thing. I think this is great:

Obama wants to set up White House farmers market

President Obama said on Thursday that he and the First Lady are looking into setting up a farmers market just outside the White House, which might sell food from the White House garden or from local farmers. The president said it could give the city of Washington, D.C., “more access to good, fresh food, but it also is this enormous potential revenue-maker for local farmers in the area.”

Read the rest of the article here.

It's Farmers' Market Time!

Today's Baltimore Sun ran an article called "13 strategies for shopping a farmers market," which has some good -- although generic -- information about how to shop at Farmers' Markets. (I guess I shouldn't be surprised, since the Sun fired half its staff and now relies on wire services for articles like this, rather than having a local author write them ....)

Some of the tips seem a bit obsessive to me, but here are a few I absolutely agree with:

#4 Bring a cloth bag that has plenty of room and can hang over your shoulder. For frozen meat or delicate greens, consider an insulated bag.

#5 Get to the market early if you want the best pick of the market.

#7 If you have time, walk the market once through before you purchase so you can get an overview of the offerings.

#10 Bring cash, "especially ones and $5 bills."

Now, although the Baltimore Sun couldn't be bothered to run a list of local Farmers Markets, we here at your local neighborhood blog are happy to do so:

Here's a link for the State Directory of Farmers' Markets. Scroll down to Baltimore City and you'll see there are plenty in the City and in Baltimore County, too.

The Market in Waverly is open year round, and they have their own website: 32nd Street Farmers Market.